Knight Life
by mdrwngnftwr13
Summary: Sequel to 'Knight in Shining Leather'. Set during the summer after S1.


Standing on the front lawn of Joyce Summers, Willow stood next to Xander as they, along with Mrs. Summers herself, waved good-bye to Buffy as she climbed into her dad's Suburban. Buffy was leaving the summer, and frankly, she deserved it. After dying and saving the world in the time period of twenty minutes, Buffy was all stressed out. She didn't say anything, but Willow could tell. The way she'd 'causally' glance behind her when they walked down the street after dark, and in the way her eyes would get all shifty around Angel.

Angel. What a loaded word.

Not six months before she had met Buffy, she was rescued from a vampire one night by a tall, dark, and handsome stranger, as cliche as that is. Then after meeting Buffy and finding out all these nasty little secrets that Sunnydale's hiding, Willow finds out that her knight in shining armor, was a vampire himself. And Buffy, too, was falling for him. Willow had been heartbroken when she saw Buffy kiss Angel after they had defeated Darla. Xander had been facing her, so she put on a brave face. But that night, when she went home to her, once more, empty house, the tears had fallen freely, soaking her pillow as she tried to will herself to sleep.

Over the next couple months, Angel's visits had become more and more frequent, much to Xander's chagrin. Willow could barely watch when Angel and Buffy's eyes met across the table in the library, when they were researching the new big bad. But she'd do the same thing every time; try to make polite conversation, laughing at Xander's jokes, no matter how lame they had been. Then she'd go home, curl up in a ball, watching _Labyrinth_ almost as an alternative to ice cream. It was safe to say that Willow could practically recite _Labyrinth_ from beginning to end in one sitting.

And now Buffy was going to L.A. for the summer, leaving Giles, Xander, and herself to attempt to fend off the forces of darkness from overriding the sleepy southern Californian town. As the Suburban turned right at the corner, disappearing from sight, Xander turned to Mrs. Summers, or Joyce as she had repeatedly asked them to call her, wishing her a happy summer then headed off down the street, to wander the streets until dusk, when he went home to his less-than-happy family. Willow stayed for a little while, chatting with Mrs. Summers for about an hour, then left for home, explaining that her parents were leaving for a conference in Paris, and she had wished to see them off. Mrs. Summers had nodded in understanding and followed her to the door, locking it behind her as she left.

After visiting the Espresso Pump, drowning her sorrows in three mochas, Willow headed home, just in time to see her parents' car passing her on the street, on the way to the airport. Willow's shoulders slumped even more as she entered the empty house, finding another note on the kitchen table. Almost identical to the ones she had found before, the only difference being the amount of cash left behind for her. Instead of the usual hundred for a week, there was at least five hundred dollars there. Willow picked up the note and scanned it for how long they'd be gone. "Two months!" Willow shrieked, her emerald green eyes widening.

They had never been gone for so long. Willow read the note again, learning that the conference was not just in Paris, but nearly all the major cities in Europe. Willow growled low in her throat, crumpling up the note and tossing it into the trash can by her feet. Willow scooped up the money and walked upstairs to her room, placing the money in the envelope she uses to hold the money when her parents are away. She had well over three thousand dollars in the envelope. Her parents believed that she spent all the money they gave her when they left for their conferences. She hardly spent twenty dollars while they were gone; only spending money when she went to the Bronze and the Espresso Pump. All her meals were homemade, as she taught herself how to cook the different meals in her mother's numerous, never used, cookbooks. Willow walked back downstairs, pulling down the 'Exotic Dishes from Distant Lands' cookbook and turned to page 145. "Hmm...moo-goo gai-pan. I'll give it a whirl..." Willow murmured to herself, moving around the kitchen, getting the proper ingredients.

After dinner, Willow went up to her room, sitting down at her desk, wanting to check her e-mail. After that episode with Moloch, she was much more careful about who she chatted with online. She had several e-mails from Miss Calendar, the computer teacher that had helped them with Moloch and then when the Master rose. Miss Calendar was cool; she was gonna teach Willow the technopagan ropes, so to speak. Willow replied to her e-mails, then surfed the web a bit, yawning sporadically. She finally logged off, then went to sleep.

Two weeks later, after Giles, Xander, and Willow had buried the master's bones, Willow was walking home from the Bronze. The shadows shifted in front of her and Angel stepped out from behind a tree. "Willow," He said in his soft baritone. Willow started, her heart skipping a beat or two.

"Oh! Angel, you startled me." Willow said, exhaling sharply.

"Sorry. Have you seen Buffy?" Angel apologized.

"She didn't tell you?" Willow asked, cocking her head to the side, hugging her torso.

It had gotten unnaturally chilly for the middle of June, and Willow had forgotten to bring a light jacket. Angel noticed Willow shivering and he shrugged off his calf-length leather duster. "Here," Angel said, draping the duster around her shoulders.

"T-thanks." Willow said, sliding her arms into the large sleeves.

"You're welcome. Now what didn't Buffy tell me?" Angel asked, leading her over to a park bench.

"She went to live with her dad..." Willow began.

"She's gone! But Giles, Xander, you need her. And what about the Hellmouth?" Angel shot to his feet and began to pace. "That is so like her," He mumbled, "first she goes to Vegas then she's sent to an insane asylum..what next?"

"V-Vegas?" Willow stammered, frowning slightly. She shook her head, causing her bangs to fall in front of her face. "N-no. You didn't let me finish. She's staying with him for the summer. She'll be back by the time school starts."

Angel's mumbled ramblings stopped and his shoulders drooped, almost as if he deflated like a balloon. "Oh..." He muttered, sitting down next to Willow. "Why do you think she didn't tell me?" He asked, his big doe eyes meeting hers.

"I-I don't know...maybe she just needs time to herself, away from the Hellmouth, and the demons, and the vampires..." Willow replied.

Angel's eyes softened with hurt and Willow stammered to correct herself, "The bad vampires. Not you. You're a good vampire. Possibly, _the_ good vampire." Willow watched as a smile slowly crept onto Angel's otherwise calm.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," Willow smiled brightly.

_If smiles could light the world, her's would...oh god_... Angel thought to himself.

He shook his head slightly, almost shocked by his own thoughts. He glanced down at his watch then looked back up at Willow, who was watching him carefully. "It's getting late. I should get you home." Angel said, standing up.

"Oh...okay. Thanks." Willow said, standing up as well.

They walked in silence for a few minutes then Willow looked down at herself then started giggling to herself. Angel frowned slightly, in confusion, then shook his head slowly, wondering if it was a 'Willow thing'. Willow continued to giggle for a few minutes, then Angel looked over at her, catching her gaze. "I look like the Hamburglar in your coat," Willow explained through the giggles.

Angel stopped her, turning her to face him, He looked her up and down, causing Willow's giggles to falter slightly as her cheeks reddened. Angel's eyes met her again and a broad smile broke out across his face as he chuckled. Willow was almost too shocked to move. She didn't recall a single time she'd seen Angel give Buffy that smile, or heard him laugh, for that matter. "Wow..." She whispered.

Angel heard her soft exclamation and stopped chuckling, much to Willow's chagrin. "Wow, what?" Angel asked, as they continued towards Willow's house.

"It's just...I've never seen you smile, or laugh before. W-well, I have seen you smile. But it's never been one of those hundred-watt smiles, like that one." Willow said, pointing at his mouth.

"Actually, this is more of a ninety-three..." Angel said, teasing in his voice.

"Was that a--" Willow turned to look away, saying, "Judge's ruling. Yes, uh-huh..." Willow turned back to Angel, saying, "I do believe that was a joke."

Angel chuckled, glancing over at Willow. "Yes, the dead man is capable of humor now and then," He replied. "Unlike your friend Xander who never seems to turn it off."

"You really don't like Xander, do you?" Willow chuckled.

"Not really. He reminds me of me when I was alive, but not as drunk." Angel replied.

"Huh..." Willow muttered, gnawing on her bottom lip.

"Don't tell him I said that, please." Angel said, staring straight ahead.

"I cross my heart and hope to die..." Willow said, turning to Angel, smiling.

"Good, cause I hope to kill you both." A cocky British voice said from behind them.

Willow gasped, turning to face the owner of the voice, but Angel pushed her behind him, not knowing that another vampire was behind them. "William," Angel growled. Willow cried out as the vampire behind her hit her upside the head with a tree branch. "Willow!" Angel shouted, turning to see her falling to the ground.

The vampire Angel called 'William' stepped forward with a cattle prod and hit the trigger, pressing it against Angel's back. Angel grunted as the electricity shot through him and fell to his knees. There was another dull thud as the vampire lackey hit Angel upside the head with the branch as well.

Willow woke up, her head throbbing. "Oh...god...my head," she moaned, raising her hands to her face, feeling the stickiness of blood at her left temple. She grimaced as she carefully felt around the wound. It wouldn't require stitches, but it was gonna be one helluva scar if she didn't do something about it when she got home. "If I get home..." Willow muttered under her breath. She looked down to find her wrists in chains, along with her feet chained together, connected to a hook in the floor.

"Well, look who's up. Morning, Sunshine," The cocky British voice said from the shadows.

Willow started, her chains clanking together. She curled up in a ball, her knees drawn up to her chest, creating a small a target as possible. "Oh, no worries, pet. I won't kill you. Well, at least not until Peaches is up," the voice said, as the owner stepped out of the shadows. He was a vision of black and red. He was pale, like all vampires are, with shockingly blonde hair; his yellow eyes watching her. He wore a long leather duster, longer than Angel's, over black jeans and a t-shirt, with a crimson red button down shirt left unbuttoned over the t-shirt and biker boots.

"What are you going to do to us? Well, besides kill as you said a few minutes ago," Willow asked, tugging at the chains around her wrists.

"Well, after I kill you and dust the Poofer, I'm gonna leave your mangled body for the slayer to find...you do have a slayer in town, don'tcha?" 'William' replied, lighting a cigarette, taking a long drag off it, exhaling it into the air.

Which confused Willow, because after Xander and Angel had saved Buffy, Xander told her that Angel said he didn't have breath. _I better not think about that, I'll make my brain hurt...well, more than it already does_, Willow thought to herself.

"I asked you a question, pet. I expect an answer."

"Oh...what was the question?" Willow replied, frowning slightly.

"I don't like repeating myself, pet." 'William' hissed through clenched teeth.

"Oh...okay...you asked about the Slayer...what's a slayer?" Willow asked, trying to play dumb.

"You do know what Angel is, don'tcha?"

"Uh...really tall?" Willow said, raising her eyebrows hopefully.

'William' sighed, kneeling down next to her, his vampiric features close to her face. "If you don't know what the Poofer is, they why aren't you scared of me?" He asked, running his tongue over his razor sharp fangs.

"I'm afraid. I'm more than afraid...it's just, I know Angel will kick your ass," Willow replied.

"So you do know what he is. A vampire, like me." 'William' scoffed, rolling his eyes and taking another drag off his cigarette.

"Leave her alone, Spike..." Angel said, coughing as he woke up.

"I'll do what I please, Angel_us_," Spike hissed at Angel.

Turning back to Willow, his vampiric features melted back into his face, revealing a handsome face with gorgeous blue eyes, a scar over his left eyebrow, and cheekbones that should be considered illegal in, at least, forty-five states. "You're name's Willow, isn't it?" He asked her. Willow nodded slowly, watching him the whole time. "You look about fifteen or sixteen. You live with your parents, don't you?"

"Yes..."

"Do they have a willow tree in their yard?" Spike asked, leaning closer to Willow.

"Yes."

"Well, if my old Sire doesn't do what I want him to, I'll kill you and string up your body by one of the branches of that willow tree for your parents to find."

Willow inhaled sharply, tensing up as Spike leaned forward, sniffing the air around her neck. He sighed, smiling slightly, once again in 'game face', as Buffy puts it. "Leave her alone, Spike. You don't want her..." Angel said, rolling onto his back, glaring at Spike.

"Oh, don't I? After that mob, Dru's just not the same. She's so weak. Can barely get my rocks off by the time she tires out. I've been thinking about making a minion just to please me." Spike said, running his black-tipped fingers through Willow's hair.

"Spike...where are you? It's dark...and there's so much light..." A lilting female voice said from the shadows.

Spike backed away from Willow, climbing to his feet. He headed into the shadows and reappeared moments later, with a dark-haired beauty in a long, red velvet dress. Willow looked down at her feet, she was barefoot. "I felt him, Spike. I felt Daddy..." the dark haired woman said, her head tilting to the side, as she placed her hand over her heart. Her azure blue eyes landed on Angel, and they brightened as she stepped forward. "Daddy!" She called out, taking another step forward. She stopped, her hopeful features melting into a frown. "Daddy's not the same...naughty gypsies hurt him, not the same..." She whined, raising her hands to her temples, digging at them with her sharpened fingernails.

"Shh...Dru. He's all soul-having now. But that won't stop me from killing him." Spike said, cradling her in his arms.

Drusilla's gaze shifted from Angel to Willow, who was watching them with almost morbid curiosity. Willow glanced over at Angel, to see if he was feeling any better. "She looks at him wrong," Drusilla said, glaring at Willow. "With lust." Spike's eyes widened and he glanced over at Willow.

"She's worried about him, pet. When she should really be worried about herself," Spike said, raising his scarred eyebrow.

"No...not just that...she looks at him wrong. I wanna scratch her eyes out, Spike. I want to scratch out those pretty emeralds and feed them to her." Drusilla said, her face shifting between human and vampiric. She looked up at Spike, who still held her in his arms. "Can I, Spike? Can I?"

"You're still weak, princess. We've yet to find a spell to bring you back to full health."

Drusilla whined pitifully, like a petulant child that didn't get her way. Pulling herself out of Spike's arms, she made her way back into the shadows. Willow exhaled slowly, blinking rapidly, almost thankful that the crazy vamp bitch was weak. _I pity the poor bastard that crosses her once she gets her strength back_...Willow sighed mentally. Spike brought her out of her mental vacation as he kicked Angel in the ribs, causing Angel to curl up into the fetal position, to block any more blows.

That didn't stop Spike, though. He just leapt over Angel and aimed several, short kicks to Angel's kidneys. Angel grunted in pain, coughing up blood. Willow tugged at the chains with all her might, whimpering in pain as the metal cut into her wrists. As Spike was keeping himself busy with kicking the crap out of Angel, Willow searched the ground around her for something to stake Spike with. She found the broken leg of a chair a few feet away from her. She swiftly crawled over to the chair leg, grasping it in her hand as she climbed to her feet. She shuffled across the dirt floor as quietly as possible, the chains around her feet and ankles making the only sounds. Once she was within leaping distance, she waited for Spike to bring his leg back to kick Angel once more. When he did, she let out a shout as she leapt forward, wrapping the chains around her wrists around Spike's neck. The chain that had her connected to the ground had reached it's end, giving no slack. Willow crashed back to the floor, Spike landing on top of her, the chain still around his neck. Willow tightened the chains around Spike's throat, attempting to cut off his air supply. Spike realized what she was doing and chuckled, "Stupid lil' bint. I don't need air."

"Then I'll just have to settle with another element. Earth." Willow retorted, bringing the makeshift stake down towards Spike's heart.

"No!" Spike shouted.

Willow stopped the stake an inch and a half from penetrating his chest. "I think I got your attention," She mused, smirking slightly, even though her heart was pounding a mile a minute.

"What do you want? You want me to let go you?" Spike babbled, thinking of Drusilla and how poorly she'd do if he was to die.

"Let Angel go. And get the hell out of this town." Willow snapped, getting into her pseudo-  
slayer role.

"Fine. Fine." Spike dug the keys from his pocket and tossed them at Angel.

"Now get out." Willow hissed, swinging the chain back over Spike's head and kicked him forward. She was being squished, after all.

Spike stumbled to his feet, cursing Willow as he went, stalking into the darkness beyond the candlelight, get Drusilla and leave wherever they were. Willow dropped the stake to the dirt floor, hugging herself tightly, hyperventilating. "Oh! I can't believe I did that..." She gasped, staring at the ground in front of her.

Willow barely registered the sound of Angel's chains unlocking, and Angel crawling over to unlock the chains around her wrists and ankles. It was only until Angel called her name, that she looked up. "W-what?" She asked, her breathing uneven and somewhat panicky.

"It's time to go home." Angel said, kneeling down next to her.

"Oh...okay." Willow nodded, still not moving.

Angel helped Willow to her feet; he noticed she was shivering once more, so he looked for his duster. He found it on the ground a few feet away from Willow. Walking back over to Willow, who hadn't moved since he helped her to her feet, Angel draped his duster, once more, over her shoulders. Angel led Willow out of the cave near where the Master had his lair. Up through the sewers to the access by the school, they walked, neither saying a word.

As they reached Willow's front door, Angel turned to her, grasping her shoulders and shaking her once. "Willow, if you're still in there, say something," Angel ordered, afraid that her time down in the cave had sent her into some sort of shock. Willow was quiet for a moment, then chuckled once.

"Rubble, rubble, rubble," She replied, before looking up into Angel's worry-filled eyes.

"Oh, thank God." Angel sighed, pulling Willow into his arms, hugging her tightly. "I thought you'd gone into shock."

Willow's heart began to pound as a million thoughts flew through her mind. Most of them being _Angel's hugging me!_ and stuff like that. She cleared her throat, and began to pull away. "Well, good night..." Willow said, unlocking the front door and entering the house, closing the door behind her.

After changing into her pajamas, and settling into bed, there was a knock at her balcony door. Frowning slightly, Willow climbed out of bed, walking over to the doors. Angel was standing on the balcony, his expression serious. Willow glanced over at the leather duster she had draped over the back of her computer chair. _He wants it back, of course. Buffy gets to keep one of his jackets, cause he's in love with her_, she thought to herself. She picked the duster up, hugging it to her chest, and walked over to the double doors. Opening them, Willow said, "You forgot your coat," as she held it out to him. He contemplated it for a moment then reached out and took it from her waiting hands. Staring down at his duster, he frowned.

"Why'd you do it?" He asked.

Willow had almost missed the question, but she had been holding her breath, so she had heard. "Well, it is yours, and my parents would be wondering where I got a leather duster a dozen sizes too big for me," She replied.

"No. Why'd you tell Spike to let me go?" Angel said, his eyes, they looked black in the low light, meeting hers.

"Buffy needs you," Willow replied automatically.

"Just Buffy?" Angel asked, his left eyebrow raising a quarter of an inch.

"I need you," Willow whispered, lowering her gaze.

"I thought you liked Xander," Angel said, sounding confused.

"Xander didn't save me from a vampire without knowing my name." Willow countered.

"I see." Angel said, remembering the relief on her face when he saved her that night.

"W-well, I h-have to go. I-I'm tired and I have to go put fresh flowers on Jesse's grave tomorrow..." Willow stammered, backing up towards the safety of her room.

Before she could think, Angel dropped the duster, darting forward and scooping Willow up into his arms, pressing his mouth against hers. She gasped as he did, giving his tongue access to inside her mouth. As his tongue stroked against hers, almost begging for a reaction, Willow tentatively brushed her tongue against his. She could feel his response to that tiny action, he had pulled her closer and meshed his mouth against hers more.

All too soon, Willow's vision began to swim, as she was beginning to need oxygen, so she pulled away slowly, not wanting the moment to end. Even Angel was panting from the intensity of the kiss. _Not bad for my first_, Willow thought to herself. Angel leaned forward, giving her one more peck on the lips before, bending down to pick up his duster, then leapt over the balcony, landing in a crouch on the ground below. Willow exhaled shakily, her knees feeling like jelly. She managed to enter her room and closed and lock the doors, then switched off the light and collapsed into bed.

As she drifted off to sleep, the logic portion of her brain, which had shut down immediately after Angel's mouth met hers, began to question about all the badness to come. What'll happen when Buffy comes back? Will Angel still like her? Would he kiss her again? _Xander's right. I do have too many thoughts_...Willow thought moments before she fell asleep.

The End


End file.
